As Ohio voters prepare for the November 3 election, Adam Herman, CEO of the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, shares his perspective on the importance of local funding for developmental disabilities services. We’re sharing his insights as a guest perspective to help Ohioans understand what’s at stake for county boards, the people and families they serve, and the communities that rely on these supports.
Every day across Ohio, people with developmental disabilities are going to work, attending school, spending time with friends, and living their lives in the communities they call home. Families are finding the help they need to navigate challenges, celebrate successes, and plan for the future.
Behind many of these experiences are Ohio's 88 county boards of developmental disabilities, which currently serve approximately 123,000 people with developmental disabilities and their families.
On November 3, voters in 12 Ohio counties will decide local property tax levies supporting these services. Ten of those counties are asking for additional funding at a particularly challenging time. Counties on the ballot this fall include Ashland, Champaign, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Henry, Jefferson, Logan, Mahoning, Marion, Meigs, Pike, and Tuscarawas.
Why Local Funding Matters
One thing that surprises many Ohioans is how much of our developmental disabilities system depends on local property taxes.
Unlike most states, Ohio requires county boards to contribute local funding toward Medicaid services that help people live and receive support in their communities. As service costs increase, so does the amount counties must pay.
Recent investments in wages for direct support professionals and other services have been important, but they've also increased costs for county boards whose local revenues haven't kept pace.
And that's happening at a time when Ohioans are understandably frustrated with rising property taxes.
Many homeowners have seen substantial increases without voting to approve them. But county boards, which account for less than 5% of property taxes collected statewide, don't receive those same automatic increases from rising property values. Because of how their levies are structured, county boards must return to voters to request additional funding. This means that, when everyone’s property taxes went up automatically, county boards of DD didn’t receive an additional penny.
It's a difficult situation for everyone. Families and taxpayers face higher costs, while county boards struggle to keep pace with growing responsibilities.
And Medicaid is only part of the picture.
Local levy dollars also support services Medicaid doesn't cover, including early intervention, family supports, employment opportunities, transportation, and recreation. As more local funding goes toward Medicaid obligations, fewer resources remain for these other important services. When 2 out of 3 people with developmental disabilities and their families are served with locally-funded services, this means that meaningful supports for the majority of Ohio’s DD community are at risk.
Your Story Matters This November
In my years working with county boards across Ohio, I've learned that the best way to explain their importance isn't through budgets or government terminology.
It's through the experiences of people whose lives have been touched by them.
Maybe your county board helped your child reach an important milestone. Maybe it helped you or someone you love find a job, make friends, or live more independently. Maybe it's simply been there when your family needed help.
Those experiences are worth sharing, especially now.
If you live in one of the 12 counties with a developmental disabilities levy on the ballot, talk with your friends, neighbors, and family members. Tell them what these services have meant in your life. Help them understand what county boards do, how they're funded, and what their local levy proposal would mean for the community.
Encourage them to learn about the issue, ask questions, and make their voices heard at the polls on November 3.
Our System Exists Because of People Like You
Ohio's developmental disabilities system exists because generations of people with disabilities and their families believed things could be better.
Not so long ago, parents were told their children couldn't attend school. Opportunities for employment were scarce. Many people with disabilities had little choice about where they lived or how they spent their days.
But individuals and families weren't willing to accept those limitations. They organized, advocated, and convinced their communities that people with developmental disabilities deserved better opportunities. Their efforts helped establish Ohio's county board system in 1967.
Nearly 60 years later, people are learning alongside their peers, working in their communities, living in homes of their choosing, and making decisions about their own futures.
That progress didn't happen by accident. It happened because people cared enough to get involved.
The services and opportunities we have today are part of their legacy.
And that legacy reminds us that progress begins when people share their stories, help their neighbors understand, and get involved.
Please support our county boards on the ballot November 3!